2024 question marks

I love WRs as much as the next person, but I don’t think we need a dominant WR to be successful. In our offense, what we need are receivers that force LBs to read every play and that keep safeties from being parked in the box. If we do those two things, then our running game will be successful and we will be able to move the ball consistently and score.

If (and I know it is a big if) we get Kuithe back in his pre-injury form, he is uncoverable, even more than Dalton was. Mix some Landen King, Munir McClain, Money, and Micah, and we have a very potent passing attack.

Even without 100% healthy Kuithe, our WR and TEs are solid. The most painful part of this past season was watching our guys repeatedy get open and BB couldn’t capitalize. This is different from the past when our guys couldn’t get open. We have seen steady improvement in route running over the past couple of years, and that is making our WRs a meaningful threat.

Now I am not saying Bernard is Christian Mcaffery. But I like how the Niners are using him in the backfield. The amount of creative play calling for him and Kittle is exciting.

McClain can be a number one guy. But I also think Bernard can be a dynamic passing threat similar to Mccaffey. Bernard is smart. He is talented and works really hard.

I wish we could get faster developing plays. It just felt sluggish this year. Which can be blamed on a lot of things but the scheme has just been slower lately.

Up tempo always seems to favor Utah offense and Rising is capable of running a Brian Johnson style of no huddle offense.

Man. Really focused on the WR. My opinion is that the highest need is a reliable featured RB. Jackson’s 5 good carry’s a game while healthy, 4-5 while hurt, then coming out of the game isn’t enough for an Utah offense that wants to control the game somewhat.

McClain’s a playmaker, could be a weapon. Gets overlooked by fans and underutilized by the coaches. Averaged 18 yds per catch this year and we got him only 15 catches. Whit and Lud want to run first, TE second and then WR. So, it really doesn’t matter much what we have at WR, we would underutilize any talent we get there.

IMO QB2 is an ongoing question mark and even concern. Whit overestimated Barnes’ ability OR his own ability to win games without a QB making plays. Before you say Barnes was QB3 or QB4 and Whit only used him because of limited options, I’m not convinced. IMO Barnes was always Whit’s QB2 for 2023. Even when Rose was talked about as QB2, I believe Whit always trusted Barnes more than Rose, NJ and JJ prior to that. I think had Rose not gotten hurt, Barnes would have won another “dead heat” QB battle coming out of Fall Camp. Remember Whit did the same thing with Barnes in 2022 and prior to that in the first Rose Bowl.

If there is some accuracy to this theory, then Whit could misevaluate and mismanage future QB on a similar level.

WR isn’t the area of most need. If we cant buy the QB enough time and that QB can’t either find or hit open WRs, that’s not really a WR problem. In terms of priority, it starts with the OL. After the last couple years of improving OL play, this year was a step back. Run sets up pass in this offense, always has. Having a healthy and dominant RB is the second priority. Game breaking WRs would be great–not essential, but great.

Im with others, I think the WRs we have are good–not elite, but certainly good enough for a balanced passing attack to keep most D’s honest. Vele was very good–just never got targeted enough. Mcclain showed signs, Money has been reliable, King is promising, Kuithe will attract double teams, Bernard is a versatile weapon out of the backfield. We don’t need USC level elite WRs to make our offense click. With improved line play, a reliable QB and RB, and balanced and more creative schemes–those receivers will be fine and our offense will move a lot better next year.

Not in any order of importance.
Utah must effectively throw the ball when they have to beyond a balanced attack. Utah needs an outside WR threat Rising of course, if healthy changes the dynamic.

QB back-up and protecting Rising. UO did a solid job protecting Nix this season. Nix ran the ball 53 (lowest in his career) times this season compared to 89 last season. I know a lot of other variables/factors in play. Rising ran the ball 77 times in 2022. QB management issue pretty much covered on other threads. Some QB red flags: going into Spring without a QB from the TP, Barnes ends up staying, Rose continues to be “not ready”. There’s no clear QB2 coming out of Spring. Hopefully Wilson heals up quick and gets reps. If KW states, there’s no clear QB2 out of Spring, we’ve seen this play out enough to know there is a QB2 back-up problem. The QB2 reps broken up between three guys we know doesn’t work.

Oline: very inconsistent this season, QB played a role. The value of Bills and Laumea not playing in the bowl game was obvious. Not sold on the players on Utah’s Oline other than Fano playing left tackle as a true frosh. Kick-off. and punt teams.